manuel



(No Model.) 3 sheets-sheet 2. D. MANUEL.

' FREIGHT GAR DOOR.

No. 416,793. Patented Dec. 10, 1889.

n. PETERS. vhnmum n mr. Wathingmn. n. c.

(-No Model.) 3 SheetsShee-t3.

EMANUEL. FREIGHT UAR DOOR. A

No. 416,793, I Patented Dec. 10. 18 89.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DAVID MANUEL, OF HYDE PARK, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELF AND IEA L. BENTON, OF SAME PLACE.

FREIGHT-CAR DOOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 416,793, dated December 10, 1889. Application filed December 1, 1888. Serial No. 292,377. (No model.)

35?; M whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DAVID MANUEL, of Hyde Park, in the county of Norfolk, State of Massachusetts, have invented 'a certain 5 new and useful Improvement in Freight-Oar Doorsjjof which the following is a description sufficiently full, clear, and exact to enable any person skilled in the art or science to which said invention appertains to make to and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which Figurel is a side elevation showing a portion of a freightrcar provided with my im- [5 provement; Fig. 2, a longitudinal transverse section taken on line who in Fig. 1; Fig. 3, an enlarged sectional View showing the track and bonnet; Fig. 4, a horizontal section enlarged, showing one of the clamping-plates; Figs. 5 and 6, enlarged horizontal sections showing the carriages in top plan view and in different positions on the track; Fig. 7, a vertical transverse section, the carriage being represented in end elevation; Fig.8, a front elevation of one of the carriages; Fig. 9, a vertical longitudinal section of the same, and Fig. 10 a sectional view showing one of the wedge-pieces on the front edge of the door.

Like letters and figures of reference indicate corresponding parts in the different figures of the drawings.

My invention relates especially to means for hanging a freight-car door, whereby it may be automatically forced against the casing when closed and rendered practically airtight; and it consists in certain novel features, as hereinafter fully set forth and claimed, the object being to produce a sim- 4o pler, cheaper, and more effective device of this character than is now in ordinary use.

The nature and operation of the improvement will be readily understood by all conversant with such matters from the following explanation.

In the drawings, A represents the car-body, and B the door. The edges of the door-casing are beveled, as shown at b, and the corresponding edges -of the door B beveled to conform thereto, so that said door will fit closely into the casing when closed.

A longitudinally-arranged track 0 is secured to the side of the car above the doorcasing, said track being formed in two sections (see Fig. 2) and consisting of an outside or bearing rail d, connected by horizontal braces f with a supporting-plate g, which is bolted to the body of the car. A hood h is secured to the under side of said track to prevent the water from being driven in between the top of the door and casing.

Two chambers or pockets D F (see'Fig. 2) are formed in the body of the car above. the

.door-casing at the forward and rear ends thereof, respectively, the forward ends of the two sections of track 0 being curved and extended into said chambers.

The carriages H K consist, respectively, of two plates '1: 70, secured together by. bolts l,the central portion of said plates being extended 7o vertically to form a chamber m, '(see Fig. 9,) in which is j ournaled two transversely-arranged rolls p. The rolls 9 rest upon a ball 1", which projects through a slot oropening t, formed centrally in the lower plate 70, and bears upon the outer rail (1 of the track, as shown in Figs. 7 and 9.

Projecting downward from the plate k at the outer edge of the opening 25 are two studs '0, on each of which a horizontally-arranged wheel w is fitted to revolve, said wheels being so disposed that they. bear against the outer face of the rail cl when in use. At the opposite side of the opening t a similar stud z is disposed, said stud being provided in like manner with a wheel g, which is adapted to bear against the inner face of the rail d, the purpose of said wheels being to prevent the carriage from tipping or swaying laterally on the track.

A hanger consisting of a metallic plate L is bolted by its lower end to the forwa'rdupper corner of the door B, the upper end of said hanger being bent at right angles to the body thereof, forming an arm15, which projects inward over the track 0. A vertical stud 25, formed centrally on the plate 2' of each carriage H K, is fitted to revolve in a A central opening in said arm 15. An outwardlyprojecting horizontally-arranged semicircular rcc flange 35 is formed on the plate 7., said flange working in a groove 45, (see Fig. 7,) formed in the inner face of said hanger, the purpose of said flange being to hold the carriage in a horizontal position and thereby prevent the stud 25 from binding in the hanger-arm 15. A rearwardly projecting horizontally ar ranged bar 55 is secured to the upper rear corner of the door 13, and the lower end of a similar hanger M, which is connected with the carriage H, is adj ustably secured to the outer end of said bar by bolts 65, passing through horizontal slots 75 in said hanger, as shown in Fig. 8. A plate 85, (see Fig. 10,) provided with a diagonally-arranged inwardly-projecting arm 95, is secured to the lower front corner of the door B, said arm being adapted to enter a corresponding socket 14 in the body of thecar and assist in clamping or forcing the door tightly against its casing. To the opposite lower corner of the door is adj ustably secured a rearwardly-projecting bar 24, provided on its outer end with a cam-shaped stud or projection 34, (see Fig. 4,) adapted to engage a roll 44 on a bracket 54, secured to the body of the car, and assist in forcing the door inward against the casing when closed. A lever P is pivoted at 64 to the face of the door, one arm 74 projecting downward and passing through a diagonallyarranged loop 84 on the door, the lower end ofsaid arm being provided'with a handle 94, as shown in Fig. 1. The horizontal arm 13 of said lever passes through a guide-loop 23 on the forward edge of said door, and is provided with a hook 33 on its outer end. Alatch 43 is pivoted to the body of the car and passes through a guide-loop 53, its outer or free end being provided with a hook 63, adapted to engage the hook 33 on said lever and secure the door-when closed. A longitudinally-arranged water shed or hood R (see Fig. 3) is secured by braces 73 to the top of the car to protect the track and carriages.

In the use of my improvement, the door being suspended from the track 0, as described, it will be seen that the only bearingpoints of the door upon said track are the balls 7", which renders it exceedingly easy to move said door. The door being open, if it is desired to close the same the handle 94 of the lever P is grasped and the door pushed forward by means of said handle. lhe carriages H K travel on the rail cl of the track until they reach the curved portion thereof, leading into the chambers D F, when the guide-Wheels w y of said carriages respectively direct the course of said carriages into said chambers, and thereby force the upper portion of the door inward against the beveled casing Z). At the same time the curved arm 95 on the lower portion of the door enters the socket 14 in said casing, and the stud 34 at the rear thereof engages the roll 44 on the bracket 54, which forces the lower edge of the door tightly against the casing. The hook 33 on the leverP has meanwhile engaged the latch 43, causing the same to be elevated until it has passed over said hook and securely locked the door in a manner that will be readily understood by all conversant with such matters without a more explicit description.

Having thus explained my invention, what I claim is 1. In a device of the character described, a horizontally-arranged track secured to the car above the door-casing, said track being constructed in two sections, a chamber formed in the body of the car at the forward end of each section, said track projecting into said chambers, and a door suspended by carriages on said track, said carriages being so disposed that they will enter said chambers and force the door against the casing when closed, substantially as set forth.

2. In a device of the character described, the combination of a car providedwith a beveled door-casing, a horizontal track disposed above said casing and constructed in sections, a chamber in the car-body at the forward end of each section, and a door provided with beveled edges and suspended from said track by pivoted carriages which enter said chambers when the door is closed, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

3. In a device of the character described, the car A, having the beveled casing, b, and socket 14, in combination with the sliding door 13, having its edges beveled to fit said casing and provided with the plate 85, having the arm 95, which enters said socket and forces the door against the casing when closed, substantially as specified.

4. In a freight-car door, the bar 24, secured to said door and provided with the cam projection 34, in combination with the bracket 54, secured to the car-body and provided with the roll 44, for engaging said projection and forcing the door against the casing, substantially as set forth.

5. In a device of the character described, the car A, provided with the chambers D F, casing b, and track 0, in combination with door B, suspended on said track by carriages H K, and the hood R, disposed on the car above said track, substantially as described.

6. In a device of the character described, the car A, provided with the beveled casing b and the chambers D F, in combination with the track C, projecting into said chambers, the door B, suspended by carriages H K on said track and having its edges beveled to conform to said casing, and the hood h on said track, all being arranged to operate substantially as described.

7. I11 a device of the character described, the combination of a car provided with a door-opening, and a single-rail horizontal track disposed in two sections above said door, a chamber in the car-body at the forward end of each track-section, a door provided with hangers, and carriages mounted on said track by means of balls and rolls, said carriages being pivoted to said hangers and so disposed as to enter said chambers Whm the door is closed, substantially as specifie 8. In a device of the character described, the combination of a car provided with a horizontal single-rail track disposed in two sections above the door-casing, a chamber in 9. In a device of the character described,.

the carriages H K, comprising the plates 4 k,

1 forming the chamber m, the rolls p, journaled therein, the ball 7", projecting through theslot t, and the guide-wheels w y, in combination with the car A, provided with the track 0 and chambers D F, and the door B, providedwith the hangers L M, to which said carriages are pivoted, substantially as specified.

10. In a device of the character described, the door B, provided with the hanger L, and

adjustable hanger M, having the grooves 45, in combination with the car A, provided with the track 0 and chambers D F, and the carriages H K, pivoted to said hangers and provided with the circular flanges 35, working in said grooves, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

11. In a device 01": the character described, the combination of the car A, provided with a beveled door-casing, the track 0, having the rail 01 and projecting into chambers D F, formed in said car, the door B, provided with hangers L M, the carriages O, pivoted to said hangers and adapted to travel on said track by means of the balls 0", the plate 85, having the arm 95, adapted to enter the socket 14, the bar 24, provided with the cam projection 34, for engaging the roll 44, the lever P, pivoted to said door and having the hook33, and the latch 4:3,for engaging said hook, all being arranged to operate substantially as set forth.

DAVID MANUEL.

Witnesses:

CHARLES E. PALMER, ELLERY B. OLIVER. 

